Difference between revisions of "The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe/2/en"
m |
m |
||
Line 61: | Line 61: | ||
<p>The nation understood none of Hashem's words, requiring Moshe to mediate between the people and Hashem throughout the entire Decalogue.</p> | <p>The nation understood none of Hashem's words, requiring Moshe to mediate between the people and Hashem throughout the entire Decalogue.</p> | ||
<mekorot> | <mekorot> | ||
− | R. Akiva in  <multilink><a href="MekhiltaBachodesh4" data-aht="source">Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael</a><a href="MekhiltaBachodesh4" data-aht="source">Bachodesh 4</a><a href="Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael" data-aht="parshan">About Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambamMoreh2-33" data-aht="source">Rambam</a><a href="RambamMoreh2-32" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 2:32</a><a href="RambamMoreh2-33" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 2:33</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Maimon (Rambam, Maimonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Maimonides</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RAvrahamShemot20-1" data-aht="source">R. Avraham HeChasid</a><a href="RAvrahamShemot20-1" data-aht="source">cited by R. Avraham b. HaRambam Shemot 20:1</a><a href="R. Avraham HeChasid" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham HeChasid</a></multilink> | + | R. Akiva in  <multilink><a href="MekhiltaBachodesh4" data-aht="source">Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael</a><a href="MekhiltaBachodesh4" data-aht="source">Bachodesh 4</a><a href="Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael" data-aht="parshan">About Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael</a></multilink>, <multilink><a href="RambamMoreh2-33" data-aht="source">Rambam</a><a href="RambamMoreh2-32" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 2:32</a><a href="RambamMoreh2-33" data-aht="source">Moreh Nevukhim 2:33</a><a href="R. Moshe b. Maimon (Rambam, Maimonides)" data-aht="parshan">About R. Moshe Maimonides</a></multilink>,<fn>In Ramabam's Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, he contradicts himself somewhat.  He presents the episode as one in which Hashem told Moshe what to say to the nation, but that they heard and understood His words: ואנו שומעים משה משה לך אמור להן כך וכך.</fn> <multilink><a href="RAvrahamShemot20-1" data-aht="source">R. Avraham HeChasid</a><a href="RAvrahamShemot20-1" data-aht="source">cited by R. Avraham b. HaRambam Shemot 20:1</a><a href="R. Avraham HeChasid" data-aht="parshan">About R. Avraham HeChasid</a></multilink>, ? R. D"Z Hoffmann |
</mekorot> | </mekorot> | ||
<point><b>פָּנִים בְּפָנִים</b> – This phrase is difficult for this position since according to these exegetes there was no face to face encounter.  They would have to explain that the words "פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" refer to the manner in which the nation heard Hashem's voice.  This was direct, though unintelligible.</point> | <point><b>פָּנִים בְּפָנִים</b> – This phrase is difficult for this position since according to these exegetes there was no face to face encounter.  They would have to explain that the words "פָּנִים בְּפָנִים" refer to the manner in which the nation heard Hashem's voice.  This was direct, though unintelligible.</point> | ||
<point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This verse is understood according to its simple sense to refer to Moshe's mediating role during the giving of the Decalogue.</point> | <point><b>"אָנֹכִי עֹמֵד בֵּין ה' וּבֵינֵיכֶם"</b> – This verse is understood according to its simple sense to refer to Moshe's mediating role during the giving of the Decalogue.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ"</b> | + | <point><b>"בַּעֲבוּר יִשְׁמַע הָעָם בְּדַבְּרִי עִמָּךְ"</b><ul> |
− | <point><b>"קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים"</b> – To support their position, | + | <li>According to Rambam, Hashem spoke only to Moshe who was able to comprehend His words, while the rest of the nation heard only a voice and were not even capable of distinguishing the sound into individual words.  This verse, which says nothing about Hashem turning to the people, would support such a read.</li> |
− | <point><b>"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל"</b> – | + | <li>According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, in contrast, Hashem spoke to all but due to their greater distance from Hashem, only Moshe cold understand His words and was forced to act as a translator.</li> |
− | <point><b>"וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם"</b> – The verse does not specify what it is that Moshe said.  According to this approach, the content of his speech | + | </ul></point> |
+ | <point><b>"קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים"</b> – To support their position, these commentators point to the many verses in the description of the event in Devarim which continuously refers to the voice that the nation heard, and not the words. See <a href="Devarim4-10" data-aht="source">Devarim 4:12</a>, <a href="Devarim4-33" data-aht="source">4:33-36</a>, and <a href="Devarim5-19-28" data-aht="source">5:19-22</a>.<fn>These include, ""קוֹל דְּבָרִים אַתֶּם שֹׁמְעִים", "הֲשָׁמַע עָם קוֹל אֱלֹהִים", "מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם הִשְׁמִיעֲךָ אֶת קֹלוֹ", "כְּשׇׁמְעֲכֶם אֶת הַקּוֹל", "וְאֶת קֹלוֹ שָׁמַעְנוּ". It should be noted, though, that Shadal, points to other parts of many of these same verses to prove that Hashem spoke directly to the nation.  Despite the fact that the nation speaks of hearinghashem's voice, Hashem himself prefaces His remarks by saying, "וְאַשְׁמִעֵם אֶת דְּבָרָי", I will have them listen to my<b> words</b>.</fn></point> | ||
+ | <point><b>"מֹשֶׁה יְדַבֵּר וְהָאֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶנּוּ בְקוֹל"</b> – This verse refers to the role Moshe played during the Decalogue, when he relayed to the nation every statement of Hashem.</point> | ||
+ | <point><b>"וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה אֶל הָעָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם"</b> – The verse does not specify what it is that Moshe said.  According to this approach, the content of his speech might be found in the beginning of the very next chapter, the ten commandments.<fn>The intervening verse, "וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים", interrupts the speaker from the quote, because the text needs to tell the reader that both Moshe and Hashem spoke these words (Hashem to Moshe and Moshe to the nation).</fn></point> | ||
<point><b>"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים"</b> – According to this approach, Hashem relays all the commandments in the same manner, but to Moshe rather than the nation.</point> | <point><b>"וַיְדַבֵּר אֱלֹהִים אֵת כָּל הַדְּבָרִים"</b> – According to this approach, Hashem relays all the commandments in the same manner, but to Moshe rather than the nation.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>Singular formulation</b> – The entire set of commandments is formulated in the singular ("לְךָ", "עָשִׂיתָ", "תִּגְנֹב") rather than the plural (as might have been expected if they were aimed at all the Israelites).  | + | <point><b>Singular formulation</b> – The entire set of commandments is formulated in the singular ("לְךָ", "עָשִׂיתָ", "תִּגְנֹב" etc.) rather than the plural (as might have been expected if they were aimed at all the Israelites).  Rambam might explain that since Hashem was speaking just to Moshe, he used the singular.</point> |
<point><b>"דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה"</b> – These sources do not address the issue of the nation's fear but would likely explain that the sound of Hashem's voice alone was enough to scare the people. Thus, after the giving of the Decalogue, they requested that in the future Moshe receive Hashem's words privately. Had the nation not feared, perhaps all communications between Hashem and Moshe would have been privy to the nation.</point> | <point><b>"דַּבֵּר אַתָּה עִמָּנוּ וְנִשְׁמָעָה"</b> – These sources do not address the issue of the nation's fear but would likely explain that the sound of Hashem's voice alone was enough to scare the people. Thus, after the giving of the Decalogue, they requested that in the future Moshe receive Hashem's words privately. Had the nation not feared, perhaps all communications between Hashem and Moshe would have been privy to the nation.</point> | ||
<point><b>Grammatical Alternations</b> – This approach would likely attribute the difference to literary variation.</point> | <point><b>Grammatical Alternations</b> – This approach would likely attribute the difference to literary variation.</point> | ||
− | <point><b>אנכי ולא יהיה לך מפי הגבורה שמענום</b> – Rambam explains this statement of Chazal to mean that | + | <point><b>אנכי ולא יהיה לך מפי הגבורה שמענום</b> – Rambam explains this statement of Chazal to mean that the nation was able to grasp the first two commandments cognitively, on their own, without the need for prophecy.</point> |
<point><b>Purpose of Sinaitic revelation</b></point> | <point><b>Purpose of Sinaitic revelation</b></point> | ||
<point><b>Prophecy for the Masses</b> – According to the Rambam, indiscriminate prophecy is impossible, and therefore the only one who heard the full Decalogue directly from Hashem was Moshe. However, the Rambam agrees that other people, such as Aharon and his sons, could hear something, depending on their spiritual level.</point> | <point><b>Prophecy for the Masses</b> – According to the Rambam, indiscriminate prophecy is impossible, and therefore the only one who heard the full Decalogue directly from Hashem was Moshe. However, the Rambam agrees that other people, such as Aharon and his sons, could hear something, depending on their spiritual level.</point> |
Version as of 22:12, 20 May 2015
The Decalogue: Direct From Hashem or Via Moshe?
Exegetical Approaches
All From Hashem
The nation heard the entire Decalogue from Hashem. This position subdivides regarding whether Hashem was directing his words at the people or at Moshe.
Direct Communication
Hashem spoke to the people themselves; they, not Moshe, were his target audience.
- Spoke to all – According to Ibn Ezra, this verse does not insinuate that Hashem was to speak to Moshe alone, but only that when Hashem did speak to him (along with everyone else), his prophetic stature would be verified. The nation had doubted Moshe's prophecy, believing that if Hashem speaks to a person he cannot live afterwards. Thus, Hashem tells Moshe that when the nation sees Him speaking to Moshe during the giving of the Decalogue, they will finally recognize that this is not true.
- Change of plan - According to Ralbag and Abarbanel, originally, Hashem told Moshe that he would speak to him alone and the nation would overhear, leading them to believe in Moshe's prophecy. Moshe then clarified to Hashem that the nation preferred not to have a mediator but desired a direct face to face revelation. Hashem acquiesced and changed the original plan.4
- Before the Decalogue – Shadal asserts that this refers to the nation hearing Hashem's conversation with Moshe before the Decalogue.
- According to Ibn Ezra, Moshe is saying that the nation feared from the fire, despite the fact that they did not go up the mountain.
- This position could have instead said, as R. D"Z Hoffmann suggests,7 that the original plan (had the nation not been overcome by fear) was to ascend the mountain after the giving of the Decalogue and to hear the rest of the 613 commandments from perhaps an even closer vantage point and at a higher spiritual level.8
- Before the Decalogue – According to Ibn Ezra, Abarbanel and Shadal,9 this refers to the conversation between Moshe and Hashem before the giving of the Decalogue and, as such, provides no information regarding how Hashem delivered the commandments.10
- Before and during – Ralbag maintains that the verse refers to Hashem's words both before and during the Decalogue.11 Hashem conversed with Moshe prophetically, but simultaneously transmitted the message to the nation out loud (via a concrete voice rather than a mental prophecy).
- During the Decalogue – R. Eliezer suggests that that the verse is simply saying that before Hashem spoke to the nation, He waited for Moshe to tell Him that they were ready.
- This position highlights the goal of teaching the nation to believe in Hashem. As Moshe says in Sefer Devarim, after hearing Hashem directly, "אַתָּה הָרְאֵתָ לָדַעַת כִּי ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים".13
- According to Shadal, there might have been a dual purpose of instilling belief in both Moshe and Hashem. By hearing Hashem speak to Moshe before the actual revelation they recognized his prophetic stature, and by hearing Hashem themselves during revelation, they came to belief in God.
Overheard
Hashem's speech was really directed at Moshe, but Hashem ensured that the nation overheard the conversation.
All Via Moshe
The nation understood none of Hashem's words, requiring Moshe to mediate between the people and Hashem throughout the entire Decalogue.
- According to Rambam, Hashem spoke only to Moshe who was able to comprehend His words, while the rest of the nation heard only a voice and were not even capable of distinguishing the sound into individual words. This verse, which says nothing about Hashem turning to the people, would support such a read.
- According to R. D"Z Hoffmann, in contrast, Hashem spoke to all but due to their greater distance from Hashem, only Moshe cold understand His words and was forced to act as a translator.
Combination - Two versus Eight
Heard only two
The nation heard Hashem directly during the first two commandments, but then got scared and asked Moshe to tell them the rest.
Comprehended Only Two
Hashem gave all of the commandments directly to the nation, but were able to comprehend only the first two, and Moshe had to transmit the contents of the last eight to them.